Arques to La Bassée

52km, 3 locks, 7.2 engine hours

Best laid plans… and all that.

We wanted to leave early this morning (well, early-ish between 8.30 and 9.00) because we had a long day ahead, but when I checked the AIS site on the internet (all barges have AIS so that you can see exactly where they are) we saw 2 very large, 100m and 110m long, barges approaching the lock just around the corner from the marina where we were moored.  The locks on this Grand Gabarit canal are really big (144m by 12m) but these 2 barges were too large for us to share the lock with them.  So we had to wait until they had cleared through before we could get going.  We finally left the marina at 9.50 and waited an age for the lock to be emptied, entered, then waited another age while it filled before we could exit some 3.9m higher.  That was the Ecluse de Flandre, my goodness it is slow. 

Ecluse de Flandre

The old Fontinette lift lock

Just 2km further we had the very big Ecluse Les Fontinettes to deal with (a 13m rise).  As with the first lock, the lock keeper was really chirpie and friendly and there was no delay in his preparing the lock for us, but it just took forever for such a big lock to empty and fill.  Mind you, we did remark on the fact that this huge great big lock was being operated for just one little 9m pleasure craft.

Waiting to enter the new Fonitnette Lock

It's big, it's long and it's high.  

Half way up

The water comes in from vents along the bottom

Fortunately it has floating bollards

By the time we cleared the 2 locks, the weather was deteriorating, rainy and windy, so Ian chose to drive form the interior steering position.  

Ian's view from inside

Hour after hour went by, but we never lost internet coverage and I was able to keep track of all the big barges approaching us.  What a treat. With our computer connected to GPS and the AIS website to show us where the barges were we had great fun tracking their progress and watching for them to appear.

One of them, coming up behind us and travelling faster, called us to say he was going to overtake us.  No problem, I said, we will stop as you go past. Merci, he said, he will pass “doucement” – slowly.  And he did just that with a friendly wave.

Mustang approaching from astern, big bow wave

Mustang passing by slowly, hardly any wake

Back to full speed, and look at that wake breaking over the bank

We had one more lock to traverse, Cuinchy, before we stopped for the night.  We were aware that a commerical barge was coming up behind us but instead of making us wait the ultra-efficient lock keeper had the lock ready as we approached, slammed the gates shut behind us, filled in double quick time (only 2m) and we shot out the other side almost before we could blink.  We were well impressed.  Then he prepared the lock for the biggie following us.

Just 2km after the lock was the turn off to La Bassée, our destination.  As we approached we saw a No Entry sign at the entrance.  What?  When we passed we noticed a large tree had fallen across the canal.  We continued to the eastern entrance (what would normally be our exit!) which was still open thank goodness, and then had to back track another 1.5km to the mooring.

We arrived at 17.20 as the rain cleared – it had rained on and off most of the day.

At last.  Approaching La Bassée from the east instead of the west.